Welcome to the monthly newsletter that brings you creative solutions for connecting communities, young people, and nature. We welcome your feedback. View online
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Connecting Parks and Communities: Why it Matters?
Like many communities, Hyde Park, New
York has been affected over the years by suburban
sprawl and increased traffic, says Andy Bicking of the nonprofit group Scenic Hudson. But the National Park Service--fueled by its desire to be a good
neighbor and to protect the historic Homes of Franklin and Eleanor
Roosevelt--has launched several new initiatives to link the community and park
sites and encourage access through alternative transportation. Says Bicking,
"The National Park Service is working with Scenic Hudson, Hyde Park and Hudson River Valley NHA to develop a plan that
contributes to the local economy and preserves the historic nature of the landscape.
This effort really benefits the quality of life in the community." |
White Bridge, Vanderbilt Mansion (Kevin Oldenburg, NPS)
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Learning from the Field Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic
Sites, Hyde Park, New York
The access roads to the
Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites (which also include the historic
19th century mansion
of Frederick Vanderbilt)
were "incredibly congested," says NPS Superintendent Sarah Olson. But the
infrastructure didn't exist to allow visitors without cars to access the parks
easily-so the National Park Service launched a collaboration with local officials
and nonprofits to make it possible.
Roosevelt Farm Lane: New Options for Walking and Bicycling
In November, a 1.8
mile bicycle and pedestrian trail opened ( Hyde Park Townsmen article), connecting Franklin Roosevelt's homestead with Eleanor
Roosevelt's cottage at Val-Kill. The project, known as Roosevelt Farm Lane, also features
connections to two mountain bike trail loops. Eventually, the park hopes to
offer a tram connection between the sites and open the Hudson
Valley Welcome
Center, envisioned as a tourism center
offering information on lodging, restaurants, and things to see and do in the Hudson Valley.
"We're very hopeful this will be a community asset for recreation, as well as for
tourism and the regional economy," says Bicking. The Roosevelt Ride: Leave the Driving to UsThe
Poughkeepsie train station is only five miles away from
the sites--but no public transportation was available linking them,
despite the
fact that a large percentage of visitors come from the area served by
"Metro
North" trains in the New York
suburbs. Meet the Roosevelt Ride, a multi-year pilot shuttle system
that
connects the parks and the station. The goal is to determine the best
way to
structure long-term alternative transportation at the parks. Says
Olson, "We'd like people to have the option of leaving their car at
home--and providing access for people who don't own cars." Though the
Ride only
offers a limited service schedule, the park hopes to expand it in the
future. | |
Conservation Success: Healthy Trails and Cool Podcasts
Close to Home Recreation: Hyde Park's Healthy Trails are a 10-mile system of trails and
walkways linking local parks, nature preserves and National Park sites
with local neighborhoods and Hyde Park's business corridor.
Connecting with Healthy Trails and A Sense of Place through Podcasts
The park, working with the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program (RTCA) is also committed to getting visitors-as
well as community residents-out walking and biking on the network of local
trails. To that end, the Park Service is creating a series of interpretive
audio podcasts for six Hyde Park Trails-some owned and operated by the NPS, and
others by the community or other agencies. Says NPS RTCA staffer Karl Beard, "There
will never be enough rangers to stand with every single person in the woods-but
podcasts can help everyone get at some of that experience." The series will
also include historic audio clips of Franklin
and Eleanor Roosevelt, as well as interviews with others involved in the sites'
history. Additionally, the NPS continues to collaborate on Hyde
Park's longstanding "Healthy Trails" program, providing special
commemorative patches to people who hike on certain community trails to
encourage active outdoor recreation.
Catalysts: Getting Involved
For more information,
you can read Trails for All Americans,
a landmark national trails agenda crafted in 1990 through a public-private
partnership, or purchase Trails for the Twenty-First Century (2nd
edition),
a step-by-step guide to planning, designing, and managing multi-use trails. You
may also be interested in information developed by the National Park Service
about cultivating partnerships with other organizations.
Links
Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site and more about Hyde Park Trails
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Let's Work Together
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Could your project benefit from 1-2 years' staff time from a National Park Service specialist?
If you're working on restoring a river, building a community trail, or making an urban park flourish, we'd love to talk with you about ways we could work together. Please call or email your regional representative today.
(Terrace, FDR Home, Kevin Oldenburg, NPS)
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The Update informs Department of the Interior staff, organizational partners, and friends about the program successes and activities of the National Park Service Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Programs. For more details, please contact the staff person involved with each project.
This e-newsletter may be copied or redirected. Our staff would be pleased to assist your editor in adapting each story for your publication; for more information, please call (202) 354-6918 or e-mail sally_grate@nps.gov. Images courtesy National Park Service. | |
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